VF-25F Armored Messiah
The is a variable fighter featured in the Macross Frontier television series. Development The VF-25 Messiah is one of the newest-generation variable fighters used by the New United Nations Spacy in 2059. The VF-25 was independently developed by Shinsei Industry, Macross Frontier Arsenal Original Development and the LAI Corporation from the YF-24 Evolution prototype as the potential successor to the VF-171 Nightmare Plus, the current main variable fighter. Different from previous variable fighter designs, the VF-25 has an additional cockpit system called the Ex-Gear which allows pilots to withstand high G-forces. It also allows wired or wireless remote control for the VF-25. Technology & Combat Characteristics The Messiah is armed with numerous offensive weapons that include a gatling gun, beam cannons, laser guns mounted in the head unit and a close-combat knife housed within the shield. The VF-25 is built for multipurpose operation and can be customized according to the pilot and the characteristics of the mission. By exchanging multipurpose modules the variable fighter is able to operate as a fighter craft, an attack craft, a fighter-bomber, a reconnaissance craft and command craft for unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Armaments Standard *Mauler ROV-127C 12.7mm Beam Gun. **Located on the head turret, two barrels on VF-25F, one barrel on VF-25G, four barrels on VF-25S, none on RVF-25, . *Gun pod **Howard GU-17A 58mm Gatling Gun Pod **Retractable cover exposes barrels for cooling. *GU-17V Ant-Vajra Gun Pod **Similar to the GU-17A gun pod but uses MDE Anti-Vajra warheads. *25mm Machine Gun **Two located at the wing joint or sides of hip in GERWALK and Battroid, option of either Remington ES-25A high-speed machine gun or Two Mauler ROV-25 beam machine gun. The high-speed machine gun can be loaded with Anti-Vajra MDE cartridge. *AK/VF-M9 1.65m Ka-Bar OTEC Assault Knife **For close combat in Battroid or GERWALK mode stored in shield. Can be reinforced with pin-point barrier. *Shield **Mounted on center rear dorsal fuselage in Fighter mode or on lower left arm section in GERWALK and Battroid modes. *Pin-Point Barrier system *Mauler ROV-217C 12.7mm laser machine gun. (Seen in Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye) Armor Pack *Shinsei Industries APS-25A/MF25 Armored pack which can be used in all three transformation modes, unlike the armored systems of previous variable fighters. Two HMM-5A Mobile Remmington micro-missile CIWS launcher pod mounted on the chest and shoulders in Battroid mode with four CIWS micro-missile launcher pods (20 micro-missiles in each chest launcher, and 38 micro-missiles in each shoulder launcher). Four Remmington Close Range Micro-missile Launcher Pod Double Loaded Type, mounted on the legs, 2 launchers on each leg, 2 sets of missiles per launcher, 16 missiles per launcher. Two Howard 15-tube 200 mm anti-armor high-initial velocity rocket launcher pod mounted on the rocket pods on the main wings and are mounted fore of the fuselage in fighter mode. Four ROV-22 22mm beam machine guns. Two Otto/Sentinel 57mm anti-warship anti-air rapid fire swiveling beam turret (autonomous fire is possible). If necessary, it can be equipped with an additional four to eight conventional or reaction warhead equipped large size anti-warship missiles. It is possible to change the Micro-missile warheads to anti-Vajra MDE warheads, as well as the rapid-fire beam gun to an MDE particle beam gun. Design Features Inertia Store Converter (ISC): Shinsei Industry Macross Frontier Arsenal / LAI Corporation self-development specification ISC/TO21. Incorporates EX-Gear. Remote control from outside the fighter by EX-Gear is possible via connect slave function. Anchoring system (VF-25G). Enhanced communication systems, as well as an on-board AI equipped with battle tactic command programs for assistance (VF-25S). X-shape dorsal and ventral tail fins allow control even if one fin is removed and 3 remain. Newly developed linear actuator improves the transforming system so a majority of moving parts are never in contact, but shift electromagnetically, reducing the transformation time by two-thirds. Also, many of the more fragile mechanisms have been abandoned, resulting in fewer malfunctions, less maintenance, and improved durability for the Battroid mode. Normally, a VF-series' energy converting armor is not active in fighter mode while surplus energy from the engines is used in Battroid mode, however, due to the APS-25A/M25 high-capacity capacitor for the beam guns, energy converting armor is available in all modes. High capacity capacitor built into frontal section of the booster pod. Due to increased waste heat, four armored heat sinks (2 on the right and left with built-in Phased array radar) added to the engine pods. APS-25A/P-011 armored block for the aircraft nose exists but was waived due the opinion of Ozma Lee that visibility in close-quarter combat and emergency escape of the aircraft nose was lost. A pinpoint barrier has been centered on the nose to compensate for the lost of armor. Trial manufacture Tornado pack, for dual-use within atmosphere and outside of atmosphere, has lower air resistance than Super Packs. Tornado pack made exclusively for the VF-25 is more expensive than Armored pack. Since the flight path is reminiscent of a tornado, it was given the pet name, "Tornado". Additional Tornado pack equipment for outer-space use. *Landing Gear: Catapult link bar for carrier launch. Thicken column to support Super parts, other equipment and the impact of carrier landings. Accommodation One pilot with EG-01M/MP EX-Gear. EX-Gear functions as an ejection seat. Although normally a single seat-craft, the rear is equipped with an auxiliary seat. Auxiliary seat is hidden by a cover. At time of use, the cover is pulled and the auxiliary seat rises. Auxiliary seat is a normal ejection seat. Special Equipment & Features Armor Pack *The Armor Pack is a set add-on parts to improve the offensive and defensive capabilities of the VF-25, and is typically restricted to squadron leaders. It consists of additional armor panels (chest, hips, legs, back and shield) that cover a much greater proportion of the body than the Super Pack and ten missile pods. The back armor includes a sensor antenna. The leg armor includes two missile pods per leg, and the chest armor includes two missile pods. Like the Super Pack, the Armor Pack also includes two wing-mounted twin-exhaust thruster pods, but the Armor Pack's pods are much larger and include an anti-ship beam gun and a missile pod for each pack. Finally, it has a pair of missile pods behind the shoulders, much like the Super Pack. *The pilot can use eye movements to select multiple targets, then simultaneously fire all its missiles at once to swarm the same enemies. While the Armor Pack follows the lineage of Armored Valkyrie variants such as the VF-0 Phoenix VF-1 Valkyrie and VF-11 Thunderbolt, it closely resembles the SDP-1 Stampede Valkyrie from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Skull Leader game series. History In the later stages of the Vajra War, Alto Saotome has his VF-25F Messiah outfitted with the Shinsei Industries APS-25A/MF25 Armored pack. External links *VF-25F Messiah on MAHQ *VF-25 Messiah on Macross Compendium Category:Variable Fighters Category:Macross Frontier Category:Macross Frontier Mecha Category:SMS Mecha